


The warrior's princess

by Lillierobyn



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-15
Updated: 2016-05-01
Packaged: 2018-06-02 09:34:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6561190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lillierobyn/pseuds/Lillierobyn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aurora and Mulan were never given a chance to see what might be there, what if they were given that chance? AU where the girls were brought to Storybrook before Aurora's marriage for the chance to forge a new future.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Secrets?

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own once upon a time

It wasn't a large change at all but Aurora knew something was different, though secretive at all times and never one for drawn out conversation she could tell that Mulan was keeping something from her - something much larger than the mumbled 'just a surprise party for Roland' the redhead had finally gotten out of her - and she was determined to figure out exactly what it was the woman was guarding so closely and furthermore why she felt like she had to hide whatever it was after nearly two years of happiness together. Puzzling though it was she had faith that it couldn't be anything too ghastly or they would have talked about whatever it was. The thoughts floating around in her brain were everything from the darker woman losing her job to things as terrible as wanting to break up.

Although she wanted nothing more than to go storm her way into the sheriff's office and demand to know exactly what was going on instead she made her way to the library where she knew her best friends would be. This world had been a big adjustment to her and it had mostly been thanks to to influences of Belle and Ruby that she had dared to admit to the secret she had kept hidden for so many years instead of continuing to live the lie that everything had become in the enchanted forest. If there was anyone who could explain the odd behaviour it would be Belle, she had a better insight into those around them than anyone else Aurora had ever met and as long as Mr. Gold wasn't skulking about she felt comfortable talking to her openly. 

The door opened with a cheerful ding which normal made her smile but today she frowned in annoyance at the silly bell. How could the world still be so cheerful when her own was full of grey shadows smothering her with doubt against the one person who had always been there for her? Before she dared to step inside she forced a bright smile onto her face so that no one would know the worries filling her head. She had always been good at keeping her secrets hidden away so that no one else could see. 

The woman she was searching for stood at the counter absently reading a book alone. Aurora made her way over but instead of interrupting quietly waited for her friend to notice her. It was better to wait politely than interrupting her for nothing more than her own crazy thoughts.

At last Belle looked up, looking shocked and confused at the woman standing before her. "Oh, hello Aurora. I'm sorry I was caught up reading again." She placed the book down on the counter with a sympathetic look on her face. "Were you looking to talk?"

"How... How did you know?" It was shocking that somehow the other knew she wanted to have a discussion.

"I know you," a small laugh. "What is it?"

"It's... It's Mulan, she's been keeping something from me - I don't know what it is but it worries me. We've always told each other everything." She chewed on her lip as she spoke. "Even when... Before... It was the only thing I ever kept from her."

"Aurora, it can't be anything terrible." Belle told her soothingly, continuing through with her gentle support.

"What if she's planning to leave me... If she's decided that I'm not who she thought I was? I just couldn't..." She was barely whispering now as she told her friend about her fears even though it felt like admitting them could make it come alive. "I left everything for her, I just wanted to be happy at last." This was supposed to be her happy ending with her true love by her side just like they were meant to be.

"It's not. You need to trust in her." The librarian replied with a hand holding onto one of hers, "remember that she came here for you. Trust is one of the most important parts of a good relationship."

The redhead nodded in agreement, feeling comforted at the knowledge that Belle seemed to think everything was going to be fine. They had made it this far hadn't they?


	2. Supportive friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mulan reveals her secret and asks her friends for help

Mulan was a woman of few words, it was something she had always followed - think and react in the best possible way that made logical sense to the situation - until recently. An engagement wasn't the smartest thing to do nor was there a logical reason to do it but Aurora was the one shining light in her life. Everything had changed in one instant between leaving their world and coming to this place where the two of them were free to be together. 

Admittedly she would have kept quiet about how she felt but somehow Aurora had approached her like something out of a dream. For two years they had been together before she finally decided that they needed to move forward into a new place in their lives together. It would be a surprise of course, the beautiful redheaded woman deserved no less than a flowery declaration of love followed by the presentation of the ring that stayed hidden away with her deputy things where her girlfriend would never think to look. 

Breakfast had been a quiet affair of sitting across from each other with only the sounds of their forks scraping on the plates as they ate, normally full of conversation at least on Aurora's side but today it had been different. She hadn't known how to approach the subject of her unusual silence so instead it had been a kiss goodbye before she headed to the sheriff's office for another day of work while her sweetheart did whatever it was she had planned for today. The ring hidden away securely kept with her was burning a hole in her pocket though she kept reaching into the pocket to make sure it was still there. 

"Hey, you're looking a little worse for wear." The blond woman commented from her spot at the main desk. 

Mulan said nothing as she passed by Emma though she gave the man sitting by the other desk a tight smile. "How are things sir?"

"'Things' are just fine, no need to be so formal." Robin told her with a smile as if it were a perfectly normal thing to discuss. "Now, what is it you're so tense about?"

She stared at him for a moment before glancing at the blond woman to gauge her reaction as well. "I've decided to ask Aurora to marry me."

"So... That's a good thing right?" Emma asked in obvious confusion at the woman. "Shouldn't you be more happy and less worked up?"

The darker woman took a moment to think about her reply before she spoke to figure out how best to word it. "I love her, very much. She deserves nothing less than a perfect moment when I give her the ring."

"Well, if you'd like assistance figuring it out we could always have a coffee after work." 

"I have the ring." She pulled out the box and set it on the desk. "Just trying to decide when best to present it. Aurora doesn't know yet..."

"Coffee it is then."

She knew that she should feel glad that her friends wanted to help her with this but in the end all she felt was dread, every time someone here tried to help it always turned into a giant thing. Keeping something like this from Aurora would be harder and harder when more were involved and she knew for a fact that if Robin were involved then his wife would worm herself into it too. Regina may not exactly be the sweetest woman but she at least knew how to keep a secret quite well and had the added benefit of knowing more than she did about what a woman would want in a proposal.


	3. Making plans

Sitting in a booth at granny's diner with a barely sipped cup of black coffee across from Robin and his pint-sized son made her feel as out of place as anything else especially when father and son shared a Sundae together as if it were completely normal for a five year old to eat such things for dinner. "Maybe it would be for best if I just simply asked her about it tonight, figured out some way to bring it up and present the ring just then." She said as she played with the simple gold band that would soon grace the former princess's hand. It was made even further striking to her what their differences were in this world where Aurora's pretty dresses hung directly beside her own comfortable jeans in the closet and her shoes took up so much of the shoe rack next to the single pair of leather boots. 

"Well, well, what do we have here?" A familiar voice cut in before she could say anything else.

"Mummy!" Roland squealed as he scampered off the bench to wrap himself around her legs.

"A sundae? Tell me you've already fed him dinner?" By the annoyance and frustration in her voice it was obvious that she already knew the answer. For a woman who had claimed no interest in raising another child she seemed to be more than happy to accept the boy as her son along side her own nearly teenaged boy.

Mulan found herself snorting in amusement at the look on the man's face, like a deer stuck in headlights, when his wife spoke. Robin Hood may have been one of the bravest men she knew but he still knew when to back down.

"Mummy, Mulan an' Rora are gettin married!" 

The dark eyes turned to her in shock at the child's words. "Married? Really, I wasn't even aware that they were engaged." 

"Soon to be." The woman admitted with a small shrug as if it was nothing out of the ordinary. There was no reason to show all of her cards at once especially if she wanted Regina to help her, it was easier to reel her in than hope for kindness.

"And that's the ring?" She sounded nearly disgusted as she held her hand out so that it could be put in her hand. "You're going to give her a simple gold band?"

Though her automatic response was to tuck the band away instead she dropped the ring into the outstretched palm. "It seemed a worthy answer." Mulan told her calmly as if it didn't bother her one bit that someone else was mocking her choice. The gold band wasn't anything flashy or pretty but it was strong and full of meaning, a gift from a warrior to the princess who somehow had seen through it all enough to let them be together as she had always hoped for. 

"No, this won't do. Really is there nothing anyone here can do without my help? Let me guess - your proposal was going to be 'hey, let's get married'?" 

The silence spoke for her as she stayed silent, stirring the coffee in front of her gently to distract herself. She was embarrassed that Regina could see through her so easily though she didn't feel the least remorse when the woman picked up the boy before sitting across from her. 

"Okay, first thing is a new ring - something nice and pretty. We'll need to plan out exactly what you're going to say to her... A nice candle lit dinner with some wine to set the mood. This is a very important night for the two of you it should be memorable." She had her lips pursed in thought, arms wrapped around the little boy sitting in her lap. 

"My sundae!" The child protested as he tried to reach for it. Mulan found herself smiling as Regina absently brought it to where the child could reach it while she still continued her listing of things.

"You'll need to dress appropriately, no leather jacket and definitely no jeans. Make her believe it's just another date night - if you make her suspicious it will ruin the whole surprise." 

As much as Mulan thought the plan didn't sound like her in the least she had to admit that it would definitely be memorable, especially with Regina helping to plan it.


	4. Moments together

"If something were wrong you'd tell me right?" Aurora asked softly as she sat brushing her hair out at the vanity in their bedroom. She liked to sit there taking off her makeup and prepping for bed so she could watch the reflection of her love moving about the room. "You'd never keep such a thing from me?"

"Yes, Love." Mulan replied as she double checked that her things for work were sitting organized on the bedside table next to her side of the bed. The dark haired woman made her way back over to stand behind Aurora at the vanity, taking the brush from the frowning woman to began gently running it through the soft tresses. She wanted to tell her so badly exactly what was worrying her but she couldn't ruin the surprise after all the work they had put into it even though she had been encouraged to lie about it she couldn't find it in herself to allow another lie to pass from her lips to the other's ears. It was silent in their bedroom as she slowly ran the brush through the silky red strands.

"Mulan?" The former princess asked after a few moments of silence. "I won't ask further what's bothering you but I'd like it if you could promise me that it isn't anything serious. I trust you, I want you to know that."

"It's nothing serious, I promise you'll know as soon as I can tell you." She said gently before giving into temptation with a gentle kiss against the top of her hair. "Why don't you tell me about your day?"

The prompt was all the woman needed to launch into a detailed story about the events that had filled her day, everything from the book she had picked up from the library right down to how wonderful this drink she had tried at Granny's diner was - could there be anything more _amazing_ than liquid chocolate as a drink? - followed by her exciting escapades with trying to figure out exactly how to work the oven so that she could learn to cook which Belle had ever so graciously agreed to teach her to do. Then there was the amazing necklace she had found in Gold's shop that matched almost perfectly with that pretty pink dress. Perhaps they could go pick it up tomorrow if they had a spare moment?

The words made Mulan realize that this was a perfect entrance to set up for the planned romantic evening. "Of course I'll find time to allow us to pick up the necklace but it may have to wait a few days, I have already made plans tomorrow night for us to have dinner with Robin Hood and Regina... You mentioned wanting to socialize more so it seemed an appropriate setting."

"Oh, you're so sweet!" The redhead replied excitedly, turning to face her. "Perhaps I should wear that pink dress, the one with the lace... Or would the one with the satin be more appropriate? And where will we be going? There are so few places here to visit although I haven't had many chances to adventure around as it doesn't seem appropriate to do such things alone." 

The dark haired woman snorted in amusement at that comment. "I told you that as long as you don't go over the yellow lines leading out of town and stay in populated areas everything should be fine - it's a different world here, no one will force you to stay caged up."

"I worry that this world might change us. What if I become someone else and you don't love the person that takes my place? Or if you change and no longer want to be with me?" 

"Aurora..." Mulan quickly wrapped her arms around the smaller woman." No, nothing will ever separate us here. We came to this place to be together and I meant every word I promised when you asked me."

Aurora could feel the tears prickling in her eyes though she didn't want to ruin the moment with another breakdown. After two years she still feared this world and all the changes it had brought into their life's, resisting any attempts to teach her about the new things around them - in fact, the only devices she had learned to use were the phone (due to its usefulness in letting her hear Mulan's voice even when the other woman was a distance away) and the radio (because she was fascinated by the way the music came out of it from nowhere) - though with Belle's gentle prodding she had now agreed to learn to cook so she could make Mulan dinner. As a princess she had never even put a thought towards entering the kitchen because a princess never wasted her valuable time on such things. "I love you." She finally managed to whisper with only a hint of breaking in her voice.


End file.
